The Mid-Atlantic Classic got off to a beautiful start for the Valley League all-stars in the home run derby.

Baseball’s All-Star game winner is always the same.

Fielder wins Home Run Derby

So much for the plan to have Manny Acta’s patient optimism lead the Washington Nationals out of the doldrums. The abysmal won-loss record became too much to stomach, costing him his job at the All-Star break and adding another layer of instability to the worst team in baseball.

Federer edges Roddick 16-14 in 5th for 15th major

Serena Williams kept telling herself she was facing just another foe in the Wimbledon final Saturday, just another woman who hits the ball quite hard, just another player trying to deny her a Grand Slam title.

Her 19th consecutive victory at the All England Club already wrapped up, Venus Williams grabbed a seat and watched younger sister Serena win easily to reach the semifinals, too.

WIMBLEDON, England — Rhythmic clapping rang out on Centre Court, accompanied by not-so-staid chants of “Roof! Roof! Roof!”

The world will surely take notice of this.

It seemed fitting, somehow, that two-time major champion Marat Safin’s always-turbulent relationship with Wimbledon would end this way.

The loss was like many others suffered by the Washington Nationals this season. The starting pitcher dug himself a big hole in the first inning, the bullpen made things worse, and the lineup couldn’t get a timely hit.

After years of not making the cut, SC native wins delayed US Open

Lucas Glover has won the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.

Kobe Bryant has the NBA title he needed most — the one without Shaq.

Rafael Nadal’s unbeaten run at the French Open is over.

No longer untested, no longer unbeaten. The Cleveland Cavaliers finally met their match in the playoffs.

The NFL Network will stay in Comcast Corp.’s TV lineup under a deal that also could open the door for the football channel to get shown by other major cable TV operators that do not yet carry the network.

Orlando beats Boston to advance

All is well again in La-La Land. The real Los Angeles Lakers showed up, and in a Game 7, no less.

WASHINGTON
Ryan Zimmerman’s 30-game hitting streak counts as one of the few-and-far-between bright spots in what otherwise has been the latest Nationals Disaster of a season for the capital’s last-place baseball team.

If not for Nene’s breakout first half, Carmelo Anthony’s fourth-quarter fireworks and Anthony Carter’s defensive deftness wouldn’t have mattered much.

IRVING, Texas — Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis was among 12 people injured when winds just shy of tornado strength ripped through the roof of the team’s indoor practice facility during a rookie minicamp Saturday.

ASHBURN — The Washington Redskins went defensive in this year’s NFL draft, using their first four picks on a defensive lineman, a cornerback and a pair of linebackers.

NEW YORK — Matthew Stafford’s mission is daunting: Lead the Detroit Lions back from the only 0-16 season in NFL history. Mark Sanchez has nearly as big a challenge: He’ll compete to replace Brett Favre.

ASHBURN — The Mark Sanchez Sweepstakes was won by someone else, leaving the Washington Redskins to take the conventional approach — filling one of their most pressing needs with their first pick in the NFL draft.

While Alex Ovechkin tried to figure out Henrik Lundqvist, the Washington Capitals found a way to beat the New York Rangers.

Ray Allen picked the perfect time to snap out of his shooting slump.

WASHINGTON — Jeremy Hermida hit a three-run homer in the 11th inning after tying it with a two-run shot in the ninth, and the Florida Marlins beat the Washington Nationals 9-6 Saturday for their sixth straight win.

John Madden, the burly former coach who has been one of pro football’s most popular broadcast analysts for three decades, is calling it quits.

The Washington Nationals would like a restart. The Atlanta Braves just want to keep the winning pace they’ve set during the first week of the season.